Your Ultimate Guide to Exploring China

The 240 hours start calculating from 00:00 on the day following entry and end at 24:00 on the day of departure. For example: if you enter on December 1st, the 10-day visa-free period is from 00:00 on December 2nd to 24:00 on December 11th, and you must depart before 24:00 on December 11th.

Yes, you can travel freely within the provinces covered by the visa-free policy for 10 days.

No, according to policy regulations, foreigners entering from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are not eligible for the 240-hour transit visa-free policy. You need to apply for a corresponding visa in advance.

No, you must already hold a confirmed onward ticket with a confirmed date and seat.

Allowed, different ports of entry and exit are supported.

There are special counters at designated ports (e.g., Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 3). You need to fill out the 'Temporary Entry Card for Foreigners' on-site, submit your passport + onward ticket, and the permit will be issued after review by border inspection.

Allowed. For example, USA → Guangzhou → Hong Kong West Kowloon, you can apply for visa-free entry with a high-speed rail ticket; Canada → Zhuhai → Macau, the same applies with a ferry ticket.

Allowed. Cross-border land, sea, and air intermodal tickets such as Guangzhou → Hong Kong high-speed rail tickets, Zhuhai → Macau ferry tickets all meet the requirements.

Immediately report to the public security organ at your place of stay, apply for a stay permit at the exit-entry administration department with the 'Passport Loss Report,' and contact your country's embassy or consulate to reapply for travel documents.

If you are a citizen of a mutually visa-exempt country like Singapore, it is recommended to use the 30-day visa-free entry directly (more flexible); if only transiting, choose the 240-hour visa-free entry (no visa fee required).

A fine of 500 RMB per day will be imposed, with a maximum of 10 days detention and ordered to leave the country, and will not be allowed to apply for transit visa-free entry within 5 years.

Search for the 'National Immigration Administration' mini-program on WeChat, or call the 12367 hotline (supports 8 languages including English, Japanese, and Korean).

Including commercial photography, online live streaming for profit, temporary teaching, etc., even without a labor contract, it may be deemed illegal.

Terminal 3 has a 'Transit Visa-Free Fast Track' with English, Japanese, and Korean speaking specialists, shortening the processing time to within 15 minutes. Note that during 22:00-6:00, you need to go to the 24-hour emergency window for processing.

Provides 'Air-Rail Combined Transport' service. Passengers with high-speed rail tickets can directly process transit procedures in the satellite concourse. For example: a Paris → Shanghai → Hangzhou East high-speed rail through ticket allows all procedures to be completed within the restricted area.

Commercial photography requires a work visa, but personal travel photography is allowed. Drone aerial photography is strictly prohibited in no-fly zones (e.g., within 500 meters of military facilities), offenders will be fined up to 20,000 RMB.

One free change is allowed, which must be completed before the 7th day of the stay period. For example, if the original D10 Hong Kong flight is changed to D11, you need to bring the new ticket to the border inspection station at the entry port for备案 before D7.

Tickets for international services such as the China-Laos Railway (Kunming → Vientiane) and China-Vietnam Railway (Nanning → Hanoi) are recognized. Both paper tickets and electronic ticket numbers are required for verification.

Submit your passport main page + e-ticket in the 'Immigration Bureau' mini-program. The AI system generates a 'Transit Pre-approval Code' in 10 minutes, which can reduce processing time at the port by 50%.

Avoid making a 'V' sign for photos in front of government agencies or photographing people in ethnic minority costumes without permission. Note dress code requirements in religious places (e.g., no shorts in temples).

You can go to the emergency department of hospitals above Level 2 with your passport. Beijing Xiehe/Shanghai Ruijin and 53 other foreign-related hospitals are recommended. Keep medical receipts to apply for an extended stay.

You need to provide a hospital diagnosis certificate and apply to the exit-entry administration department of the municipal public security bureau where you are staying 3 working days before the expiry of your stay, with a maximum extension of 30 days.